“Twelve years after RocknRolla, Guy Ritchie returns to gangster films on the streets of London. While the film is a return to his first loves, The Gentlemen also marks a break in the British filmmaker’s filmography.
‘There is only one rule in this jungle. When the lion is hungry, he devours!’ Words spoken by the main character in The Gentlemen echo the thoughts of its director, Guy Ritchie. The British filmmaker is just as energetic as he was at the beginning of his career. Even though, like its hero, the film is less visually intense than the director’s usual style, its editing remains dynamic, its staging effective, and its dialogues sharp.
Following two more structured cinematic experiences with American studios (Warner, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and Disney, Aladdin) with mixed results, his new film is more confidential and takes place within the London mafia. A true return to the roots. As usual, the director surrounded himself with a large cast. Seasoned actors Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell revel in their roles, portraying unexpected characters. They are accompanied by actors more or less known to the public, such as the excellent Charlie Hunnam (The Lost City of Z), the young Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians), and the commanding Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey). The ensemble is led by a perfectly fit Matthew McConaughey as a mafia figure at the end of his rope. This beautiful cast develops interesting characters with excellently written jibes.
The film’s plot consists of a simple concept in its design but intricate in its execution, with multiple plot twists that don’t catch off guard the audience that pays attention to details.
A Lost World
In Guy Ritchie’s world, organized crime is a small, closed circle where everyone is well-established and knows each other. Everyone knows who to go to in case of disputes because everyone has their status. Like the Snatch series released in 2018, inspired by the eponymous film by Guy Ritchie, The Gentlemen disrupts these codes. It introduces the new generation and its passion for new networks within the criminal world. Youth, its ardor and boldness. Its lack of respect and lack of discernment. Twenty years ago, in Guy Ritchie’s works, young people were caught in a vicious cycle, trying not to be devoured by bigger fish. Today, they are the ones creating this vicious cycle to the detriment of the older generation.
This is the striking difference in the new film by the British director. The former husband of Madonna humorously reroutes, through the delightful expressions of Colin Farrell, the lack of thought of this generation constantly filming their actions to share with the world. Even when they act recklessly and thoughtlessly.
Also noteworthy is the antagonist played by Henry Golding, capable of anything to satisfy his desires as quickly as possible, even if it means overriding the ‘rules’ of the milieu, including those of his clan. This film could mark a turning point in the director’s career. Less focused on youthful energy but more settled and centered on characters at the end of their rope. Nevertheless, even if he is no longer driven by this carefreeness, Guy Ritchie has not lost his art of expressing his zeal.”
Paul Guianvarc’h
